Plastics and Coronavirus - should bans be reconsidered?

[FairestOfThemAll37]

So we never had a plastic ban, heck, we still have styrofoam cups. A lot of people use reuse-able bags, but they’re currently not allowed.

I don’t support bans, but think we should work on reducing where we can. Single use plastic bags definitely have their uses and there’s time when they are a better alternative to bringing a multi-use bag.

I try to use my multi-use bags, but I struggle with them. I always feel like they’re gross. The cloth ones never hold up to machine washing and hand washing them is just a mess. If they’re not a washable material then I’m trying to wipe them down with disinfectant then wash off the disinfectant so I’m not getting that on my food. I haven’t found any that are actually easy to clean.

same with straws. I try to use silicone or whatever straws, but they’re really only good for water. Anything with sugar or milk is impossible to clean out them and they just end up a nasty mess. I don’t feel awesome about it but I have to use a normal plastic straw on my iced lattes.

 

[AurumPunzel]

So we never had a plastic ban, heck, we still have styrofoam cups. A lot of people use reuse-able bags, but they’re currently not allowed.

I don’t support bans, but think we should work on reducing where we can. Single use plastic bags definitely have their uses and there’s time when they are a better alternative to bringing a multi-use bag.

I try to use my multi-use bags, but I struggle with them. I always feel like they’re gross. The cloth ones never hold up to machine washing and hand washing them is just a mess. If they’re not a washable material then I’m trying to wipe them down with disinfectant then wash off the disinfectant so I’m not getting that on my food. I haven’t found any that are actually easy to clean.

same with straws. I try to use silicone or whatever straws, but they’re really only good for water. Anything with sugar or milk is impossible to clean out them and they just end up a nasty mess. I don’t feel awesome about it but I have to use a normal plastic straw on my iced lattes.

That's why I think it should always be left to the person to decide what they want to do, and recycling facilities for plastics improved. I use reusables in my supermarket, but only because we no longer have thin vest bags (only thicker bags that cost more than the bag tax, except for Aldi and Co-op, who have those nice compromise compostable bioplastic vest bags as an option), and I do my best to clean them, but I find the Disney Store's NWPP bags to be an absolute pain to clean, due to the material.

 

[fla4fun]

Imposing something that involves a great burden of trust on the person to properly clean their reusable bags after use, in the name of conspicuous conservation, is dangerous - how exactly are the stores going to know if the customer's bag is clean or not?

I have felt the same way about places like Starbucks allowing people to bring mugs from home. One person’s opinion of what constitutes a clean and sanitized cup can be worlds away from what another person thinks is OK. I understand the thought process behind reusable, and I am all for recycling. But there are some times that reusable is not the better choice overall, at least not yet.

 

[AurumPunzel]

I have felt the same way about places like Starbucks allowing people to bring mugs from home. One person’s opinion of what constitutes a clean and sanitized cup can be worlds away from what another person thinks is OK. I understand the thought process behind reusable, and I am all for recycling. But there are some times that reusable is not the better choice overall, at least not yet.

I can see the CDC recommending a permanent federal moratorium on all bag bans, and other governments being discouraged from imposing bans or taxes, not to mention businesses like Disney being discouraged from voluntary phaseouts. I want to be able to go to a Disney Store again without being forced to pay for a bag I'm not likely ever going to bring back every time I go in, and preferably, I'd like to see the cute bags they once had make a comeback, as much as I doubt we'll ever see blue Pixar and pink princess bags again. Those were my favourite, next to the pre-phaseout multi-franchise ones and those comic strip bags upcyclers loved to make art out of. I wonder how many lamented their loss when Disney decided they wanted to advertise all their franchises on the bags?